I’ve rewritten this a few times because I seem to keep asking for moons on sticks.

Built up a budget for a short course that would take me off the ‘shop floor’. Been in and around the construction industry for most of my working life but now seem to be struggling to find decent pay from the data and AV installations I’m most experienced with. Recently found more joy and freedom from being self employed and fitting peoples kitchens, tiling their bathrooms and building their garden walls but to be able to schedule a full month of work in these such jobs seems to be taking any down time I get.

I’ve been looking at CPCS training courses such as banksman/slinger, tower crane, telehandler, etc and understand the limitations of being freshly qualified with no experience with competition from a pool of other experienced people.

Does anybody have any hot tips for short courses?

I’m in love with the idea of being able to take short contracts for a couple of months and then travel for a few weeks again. This seemed a lot easier pre 2008.

Anybody?

I used to work for a construction training company we used to deliver CPCS courses and NVQ programmes, 99% of the time the employer supported their workers, are you aware that the CPCS card has a fixed life of a few years then to renew it you would need to do a NVQ ? Have you considered getting an NPORS card? I assume that you would registering with an agency to get work

Yes the agency option would have been the route.

I thought the life of the CPCS ticket would be limited as I’ve taken similar courses in the construction industry in the past but didn’t realise the next step would have to be NVQ.

NPORS is news to me. Will contact local centre tomorrow.

Thanks woody

Just out of interest woody where did you work?

From memory you’re not far from me.